Part 31 (2/2)

So Masouda translated. Then G.o.dwin answered through her.

”We understand little of this matter, who are ignorant of your tongue, but, O Al-je-bal, ere we leave your sheltering roof we have a quarrel to settle with the man Lozelle. After that, with your permission, we will go, but not before.”

Now Rosamund sighed as if in relief, and Sinan answered:

”As you will; so be it,” adding, ”Give these envoys food and drink before they go.”

But their spokesman answered: ”We partake not of the bread and salt of murderers, lest we should become of their fellows.h.i.+p.

Al-je-bal, we depart, but within a week we appear again in the company of ten thousand spears, and on one of them shall your head be set. Your safe-conduct guards us till the sunset. After that, do your worst, as we do ours. High Princess, our counsel to you is that you slay yourself and so gain immortal honour.”

Then, bowing to her one by one, they turned and marched down the terrace followed by their servants.

Now Sinan waved his hand and the court broke up, Rosamund leaving it first, accompanied by Masouda and escorted by guards, after which the brethren were commanded to depart also.

So they went, talking earnestly of all these things, but save in G.o.d finding no hope at all.

Chapter Fourteen: The Combat on the Bridge

”Saladin will come,” said Wulf the hopeful, and from the high place where they stood he pointed to the plain beneath, across which a band of hors.e.m.e.n moved at full gallop. ”Look; yonder goes his emba.s.sy.”

”Ay,” answered G.o.dwin, ”he will come, but, I fear me, too late.”

”Yes, brother, unless we go to meet him. Masouda has promised.”

”Masouda,” sighed G.o.dwin. ”Ah! to think that so much should hang upon the faithfulness of one woman.”

”It does not hang on her,” said Wulf; ”it hangs on Fate, who writes with her finger. Come, let us ride.”

So, followed by their escort, they rode in the gardens, taking note, without seeming to do so, of the position of the tall rock, and of how it could be approached from every side. Then they went in again and waited for some sign or word of Rosamund, but in vain. That night there was no feast, and their meal was brought to them in the guest-house. While they sat at it Masouda appeared for a moment to tell them that they had leave to ride the bridge in the moonlight, and that their escort would await them at a certain hour.

The brethren asked if their sister Rosamund was not coming to dine with them. Masouda answered that as the queen-elect of the Al-je-bal it was not lawful that she should eat with any other men, even her brothers. Then as she pa.s.sed out, stumbling as though by accident, she brushed against G.o.dwin, and muttered:

”Remember, to-night,” and was gone.

When the moon had been up an hour the officer of their escort appeared, and led them to their horses, which were waiting, and they rode away to the castle bridge. As they approached it they saw Lozelle departing on his great black stallion, which was in a lather of foam. It seemed that he also had made trial of that perilous path, for the people, of whom there were many gathered there, clapped their hands and shouted, ”Well ridden, Frank! well ridden!”

Now, G.o.dwin leading on Flame, they faced the bridge and walked their horses over it. Nor did these hang back, although they snorted a little at the black gulf on either side. Next they returned at a trot, then over again, and yet again at a canter and a gallop, sometimes together and sometimes singly. Lastly, Wulf made G.o.dwin halt in the middle of the bridge and galloped down upon him at speed, till within a lance's length. Then suddenly he checked his horse, and while his audience shouted, wheeled it around on its hind legs, its forehoofs beating the air, and galloped back again, followed by G.o.dwin.

”All went well,” Wulf said as they rode to the castle, ”and n.o.bler or more gentle horses were never crossed by men. I have good hopes for to-morrow night.”

”Ay, brother, but I had no sword in my hand. Be not over confident, for Lozelle is desperate and a skilled fighter, as I know who have stood face to face with him. More over, his black stallion is well trained, and has more weight than ours. Also, yonder is a fearsome place on which to ride a course, and one of which none but that devil Sinan would have thought.”

”I shall do my best,” answered Wulf, ”and if I fall, why, then, act upon your own counsel. At least, let him not kill both of us.”

Having stabled their horses the brethren wandered into the garden, and, avoiding the cup-bearing women and the men they plied with their drugged drink, drew by a roundabout road to the tall rock. Then, finding themselves alone, they unlocked the door, and slipping through it, locked it again on the further side and groped their way to the moonlit mouth of the cave. Here they stood awhile studying the descent of the gulf as best they could in that light, till suddenly G.o.dwin, feeling a hand upon his shoulder, started round to find himself face to face with Masouda.

”How did you come?” he asked.

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